HEMP ROPE, BETWEEN US (ENG)

Chapter 9

A large stainless steel pot with porridge smelled enticing to someone who had finished his morning jog. Win used the small towel on his shoulder to wipe his face, and looked over at the delicous pork congee making his mouth water.

"Bring me two bags of porridge with eggs." The young man put his hands in his pockets as he waited for his food. With his eye catching hair and face many people turned as they walked by. The vendors in the area were familiar with him now.

"Oh auntie give me a lot of meat in it, thank you beautiful."

"Win, do you want khnom krok (Coconut cake) today? I'll gice you some."

"Oh, Ill take some of that too please"

"Win, we also have grilled pork,"

By the time he got back the vice president's hands were full of food packages. He stopped to give some to the attendant at the dorm, who grabbed him and talked to him for a long time.

"You really are the dog of the dormitory." Team said, He had just got out of the shower and was on the balcony watering his cactus plant that he had bought with Pharm at the market. He was watching Win from above as he walked back to the dorm and gave a few snacks to the caretaker.

You are special to me

The words lingered in his mind. Team couldn't even remeber walking back to his room that night, his brain had been a mess. His heart that wasn't used to love beat so hard that it annoyed him, and just thinking about it made him feel hot. He hadn't dared to go to Hia's room since then and as a result he hadn't been sleeping. His score at swim practice had dropped again.

"I can't just do nothing...ahhh what should I do?" Team was muttering to himself and bent down to look at his cactus. His eyes widened.

"Damn! Nong is growing a flower!" A small bud had sprouted between the thorns. His anxiety turned to excitement and he rushed to take a picture of the cactus from every angle to send to his friends.

"How talented am I, everyone should be jealous of my little guy."

Before he had finished messaging his friends his phone rang. His smile faded and he frowned at the name on the screen. He took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello mom..."

"Team how are you?"

"Im fine, nothing to worry about. How is dad?"

"Fine, he complains that he misses you and you never call."

The sweet voice makes him feel akward at first, he stared down at his feet and ran his toes across the floor in a pattern. He thought about his mother's face and his dad complaining.

"There are alot events going on right now I usually come back to my room and fall asleep, I'm sorry for not calling."

"Okay, when you have a break come see us."

"Next month there are a few days off, I will come home to visit."

"Good, I will make the chilli dishes you like. I miss you my naughty kid."

"I...miss you too... uh...mom I have a class to get to, so I have to go."

"Oh ok, we will talk to you soon son."

"Yeees, miss you, kiss kiss" He made a kiss sound, making his mom laugh before hanging up.

The room was quiet again, Team spun back into his room to get dressed. The annoying tie was shoved into his pants pocket, he would wait for Pharm to tie it for him. When he grabbed his bag his eyes fell on a photo on his desk. A picture of a 10 year old pale boy smiling at the camera with one arm wraped around a tan boy's neck with a mischevious grin. They looked happy.